Richard Marx

Pop singer Richard Marx was the king of adult contemporary in the late 1980s and early ’90s, when he amassed 14 Top 20 singles, including three No. 1 hits. • In addition to his own songs, Marx has written for other artists, including Luther Vandross, *NSYNC, Barbra Streisand and Vince Gill, and Keith Urban, among many others. His song with Vandross, 2004’s “Dance with My Father,” was a Top 40 hit that won Grammys for Song of the Year and Best Male R&B Vocal Performance. • Marx was five when he began singing jingles for his father’s advertising company. When he was 17, a tape of his songs made its way to Lionel Richie, who encouraged Marx to move to Los Angeles. He got his start there as a backing vocalist and songwriter for other artists. • His self-titled 1987 debut album yielded a pair of No. 3 singles, a No. 2 hit, and a chart-topper with “Hold on to the Nights,” making Marx the first male artist to land four singles from a debut in the Top 3 on the Billboard Hot 100. His first single, “Don’t Mean Nothing,” featured Joe Walsh of the Eagles on guitar. • Marx’s second album, 1989’s Repeat Offender, was even bigger, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart and putting five singles in the upper reaches of the Hot 100 chart—including the No. 1 hits “Satisfied” and “Right Here Waiting.” His father, Dick Marx, did horn arrangements, and his mother, Ruth Marx, sang backing vocals. • His subsequent albums and singles had a bigger impact on the Adult Contemporary charts, where 1991’s “Keep Comin’ Back,” the first single from Marx’s third album, held the top spot for four weeks. • Marx wrote and produced *NSYNC’s 2000 hit single “This I Promise You,” which reached No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100. • In 2006, Marx toured as part of Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band, along with Sheila E, Edgar Winter, and Billy Squier. • Marx has continued to release albums at a steady pace, including 2020’s Limitless, which features songwriting and production from his son, Lucas Marx.